Gustav Leopold Klein was born on 25 January 1794 in Kowalken, East Prussia (now Kowalki, Poland). His parents, Karl Ludwig Klein and Marie Eleonore Schulz-Gronden had six other children: two boys and five girls.

Gustav began studying law at the University of Konigsberg in 1810, but put his studies aside around 1813/14 to volunteer in the Wars of Liberation (part of the sixth coalition of the Napoleonic Wars), where he would become a second lieutenant in the 2nd Landwehr Infantry Regiment. Though brave, the Prussian Landwehr were generally poorly trained, with Napoleon even writing about how encouraged he was by their appearance.

After the war, Gustav settled into a new role in the government office in Gumbinnen, East Prussia and on 28 October 1816 he married Heinriette Jacobine Hauke (or Hanne). He worked at the Gumbinnen office as a laborer until 1818, when he moved to the Lötzen district office to become the District Secretary. When the District Administrator died in 1826, Gustav applied for the newly vacant role, but was unsuccessful. He resigned from his position the following year and focused his attention on running his estate in Kowalken and raising his son Leo Klein, who was by that time one year old.

Gustav returned to politics in 1835, working as District Deputy and District Administrator for the Goldap district. He held other positions over the next decade, including the role of Border Inspector for the Polish-German border and Civil Commissioner for the planning of lowering the water levels in the Great Masurian lakes.

During his political career, Gustav served a term as a member of the Second Chamber of the Prussian State Parliament and a member of the People’s House of the Erfurt Union Parliament. He was awarded the Order of the Red Eagle IV class on 16 January 1842 for his work, and the Order of the Red Eagle III class on 29 January 1855.

Gustav Leopold Klein passed away on 12 February 1862 at the age of 68.